SUMMER summary: McKinley Tigers

McKinley first year-head coach Pat Silva is working on changing the culture and mind-set at his alma mater. In photo, Tigers running back John Stephens ran the ball against Pac-Five last season. Bruce Asato / Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

Hawaii Prep World will be releasing summer previews of all 29 Oahu varsity football teams in advance of the 2017 season that kicks off in early August.

18TH IN A SERIES

McKINLEY TIGERS

>> 2016 record and finish: 0-8 (0-7 OIA D-II); did not qualify for OIA D-II playoffs

“It’s about changing the mind-sets. We want the kids learning the responsibility of getting to class on time, going to classes, and taking on role-model duties. A lot of people look up to football players in general on campus.

“We want them working hard and having the right attitude. If you do things the right way and you work hard, a lot of good things will happen. Use your god-given abilities the best you can and make the right decisions. Some athletes have trouble with making the right decisions. Walking through the door (as the new coach) and looking from the outside in, the kids have problems going to class on time and to class in general. So we started a mandatory study hall program. We want them to understand that getting a solid education is important and that football is not going to last forever. We want to expand their minds, especially the younger ones. And if they do get an opportunity to get to the next level, getting good grades is important. Recruiters shy away if you don’t get good grades.

“And we think that setting goals is important and then putting those goals into a plan and committing to it and not deviating from it. A number of our coaches … we played our college ball at Linfield (McMinnville, Ore.). It’s in the Northwest and Division III, but it’s like Saint Louis and Kahuku in high school here. We are part of that Linfield tradition and we want to share our knowledge and experience with our kids. Let them know if you do it a certain way, a lot of good things can happen to you.

“Coach Ad Rutschman taught us the value of doing things the right way. He was amazing. In Oregon, there is an award named after him that they hand to the top college athlete in the state. He won national titles in two different sports, football and baseball.

“Jody Tyrell is on our staff. He was an All-American linebacker at Linfield in the 1980s. He was on two national championship teams, in 1982 and 1984, and his brother Julian Tyrell played on the 1986 national championship squad. Scott Mosher was a shot put and discus state champion at Punahou. He played at Linfield and is on our staff. And Bryan Miyamoto, who played for Waipahu and Linfield, is with us too. Bryan is not a big guy. He is a good example of what Linfield can do for a person. If you do your assignments the way it’s supposed to be done, you can excel. We really believe that.

“We didn’t have bigger, stronger players at Linfield, but we had amazing preparation and got results form that preparation. You don’t have to be the biggest, strongest and fastest.

“We’re talking not only to the kids, but also to the parents and we want them to watch the evolution of the program. I grew up in housing (Kuhio Park Terrace) and I know what a lot of these kids are like and what they’re going through and what they’re all about. They don’t have the kinds of things that most kids have. You give them any little thing and they will appreciate it. I was one of them and I had coaches who cared a lot and I benefitted greatly from their encouragement. Herb Moriyama, my head coach at McKinley and Neal Takemori, my quarterback coach, encouraged me to go to college and I’m glad I was able to listen. Forty-four years ago this coming season, in 1973, we played for the OIA title against Waianae, the first year of Prep Bowl, and lost 13-6. Waianae went on to beat Saint Louis. For these kids, one of the most important things for us to get across is the tradition. Once upon a time, McKinley was one of the top schools in the state. We used to walk among the giants, and we can continue to do that if we start to believe that we belong there. Any program has growing pains. The kids are responding, at least I like to think they are. We’ve had really good practices, really good turnouts with the kids that are believing in the program. Some have fallen by the wayside. I don’t think they were serious enough and committed enough. Some are learning the hard way that if they’re not committed and you’re not going to change and follow the policies, you’re probably not going to play.

“We’ve got 38 on varsity, 20 on JV. We’re going to need about a dozen kids to come through that door between now and the start of (official workouts) to make it workable on JV. Those 38 on varsity have been committed since March. We’re happy with that number, even if it’s a low number. On the JV, we’re still struggling to fill the positions. We’ve got a solid first team, but need depth. We will have signups later this month for freshmen, and we’re hoping to encourage kids to come out.

“The kids understand how the program has been the last couple of years. If a team is doing well, people jump on the bandwagon. If it’s not doing well, they tend to shy away. For us there’s only one way to go and it’s going to be up.

“As much as we get excited about working with these kids, it’s still going to take time to learn our system. It doesn’t happen overnight. Once they start picking up on what we’ve been teaching and preaching, the sky will be the limit.

“It’s good to be in the position we’re in, behind the scenes. Nobody is looking at our program. I was with coach Skippa Diaz as his offensive coordinator his first eight years at Farrington, where many of the kids are a lot like the kids at McKinley. Housing. Tough. Ain’t going to back down. Take on challenges. A lot of our kids end up going to Saint Louis. That’s a popular area for private schools to recruit in. If we make things happen, our kids will have a choice, go to a private school and spend money to attend, or get a scholarship, and if it doesn’t work out, you can always come home.”

There you go again hating on another school. Get a life! Don’t blame the parents for paying tuition to get a better education and play for a better program.

anywaaaays!!
July 10, 2017 1:32 pm

I didnt say anything! read the article!

The point is not about hating on private school football programs, its to emphasize the FACT that there are advantages and resources in the ILH that the public schools cant compete against, it is not an even playing field.

The current separation of leagues is necessary. The attempt from the ILH to merge with the OIA last year was done in their own personal interests to benefit their rich and wealthy student/Alumni base and save their boring 3 team league, the media bought into all that bull crap, slandering the OIA’s name – calling them old dinosaurs not open to change. StarAdv keeps painting the image that the OIA is a bunch of old men holding progress back.

June Jones is a true visionary and is spearing the idea of STL going independent and setting their sights on the other “Recruit heavy, Super Teams” on the mainland like BG and Mater dei. That is true progress for the ILH and Hawaii High School football. Using and abusing the OIA and calling them out on their lack of forward thinking isnt gonna get you anywhere. Because as you witnessed the last couple of weeks, The OIA admins dont mess around, calling the ILH/HHSAA bluff and SHUTTING THEM DOWN!
#WeAreAllWitnesses #HomieDontPlayThat #YouAreMyHeroJJ

Hyn
July 10, 2017 1:49 pm

Yes and those same teams you talking about play in state tournaments of there own against public schools. You don’t hear them crying. You did say something, you retyped it for what. We all can read . Cut it out ILH hater.

anywaaaays!!
July 10, 2017 2:05 pm

Copy Paste is hardly retyping or saying anything.

Nobody is crying about the original state tournament format from 1999-2015 it was awesome and fun to see. As a matter of fact it was the ILH that started crying because the OIA was winning more titles then them, that is why in 2016 they tried to merge leagues with the OIA and when that didnt happen they secretly behind closed doors included their #2 ILH team into the tourney. Actually no, the ILH does not cry they just go ahead and politic and strong arm their way to changing the format to benefit them.

Here is some insider info for you to dwell on. The crappy 3 team league they are in and the limitation of only 1 ILH team into the state tourney, leaving the highly prestigious #2 and #3 ILH at home to watch is causing some of their own elite talent to bold for bigger schools on the mainland. BG got a whole lot of STL/PUN and Iolani kids to transfer, now the ILH know how the OIA feels about getting drained of its talent.

Hyn
July 10, 2017 3:24 pm

There you go again Mr. know it all like you know why they left. Don’t you think they left for a better program and more opportunities then because of the way the ILH runs there schedule. Whatever it is I hope the beat for them. All I want is when the ILH wins the states again be happy for them and not hate on them and make excuses.

Mahatma Gandhi
July 10, 2017 4:06 pm

Looks like they got the right guy as head football coach. I remember when McKinley was an OIA football power. Waipahu too That was until St Louis and Pac-5 started excessive recruiting.

88
July 10, 2017 4:08 pm

Oooooh cat fight… Rrrraaaaayyyrrrrr….

Grabum.by.da.puppy
July 10, 2017 4:29 pm

cat say meow not rarr kahuk cat say mioi

Atatiava
July 10, 2017 4:31 pm

Best of luck Coach Silva and the McKinley Tigers! No direction to go but up.

The point is not about hating on private school football programs, its to emphasize the FACT that there are advantages and resources in the ILH that the public schools cant compete against, it is not an even playing field.

——————————-

What about the playing field of academics? Many schools such as Iolani and Punahou have much more rigorous academics programs. Many of the kids, especially at Iolani stay up way past 12 to study or complete their homework. Also, when parents pay up to $22,000 or more, there is also academic pressures to succeed.

There advantages and disadvantages to playing football at both the ILH and OIA school’s. But when your vantage point is skewed to only look at one side, you will only see the advantages you want to see.

There are many on both sides, you just have to be objective.

ALL ILH
July 10, 2017 5:55 pm

All you guys stop complaining about recruiting. You guys just upset you and now your kid didn’t get that opportunity. For all of you people trying to support your community, then why try to go college somewhere else, just go UH. Oops, cannot make the grades that’s why. It’s all the ILH’s fault!

Naomiow
July 12, 2017 12:56 am

Go Tigers!
c/o ’83

Education First
July 12, 2017 10:46 am

@anywaaaays – Punahou has more polys on their team than St Francis. They don’t pay tuition because they’re on Diversity scholarships. Lot of the these athletes aren’t “extremely bright”, are there for sports but attend Punahou anyway so what’s your point?

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